1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in identifying, assessing, and monitoring prostate cancer in male mammals.
2. Background Information
Cancer is a general term for diseases characterized by uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells. The resulting mass, or tumor, can invade and destroy surrounding normal tissues. In addition, cancer cells from the tumor can spread through the blood or lymph to start new cancers in other parts of the body, or metastases.
Prostate cancer occurs when a malignant tumor forms in the tissue of the prostate. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The main function of the prostate gland, which is about the size of a walnut, is to make fluid for semen. Although there are several cell types in the prostate, nearly all prostate cancers start in the gland cells. This type of cancer is known as adenocarcinoma.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in American men. Most of the time, prostate cancer grows slowly. Autopsy studies show that many older men who died of other diseases also had prostate cancer that neither they nor their doctor were aware of. Sometimes, however, prostate cancer can grow and spread quickly. It is important to be able to distinguish prostate cancers that will grow slowly from those that will grow quickly since treatment can be especially effective when the cancer has not spread beyond the region of the prostate. Finding ways to detect cancers early can improve survival rates.